The Ghost of Curses Past
by JP Buckner
Summary: Akane was scared. She needed help from someone, the only person who could help her, but asking for help meant reopening some painful scars. I do plan on writing a prequel soon.


  
The Ghost of Curses Past  
by JP Buckner  
ajaff@poky.srv.net  
http://onewest.net/~ajaff/manff.htm  
  
All rights to Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko Takahashi,   
Shougakukan, Viz, Kitty, and anyone else I may have left out.  
  
  
  
Tendo Akane was scared. She was more frightened now than she  
had been in some time.  
  
In her recent past, many things have happened which have  
frightened her. Her life was in danger, or the lives of those  
she cared about, not to mention her own sanity. But all of that  
paled to the way she felt now, standing in front of this door.  
  
She paused, knowing what she must do, but she still felt unable  
to carry it out. Part of her wanted to run. Part of her did not  
want to face what lay in store for her behind the door. Part of  
her did not want to deal with the guilt, the pain, the memories  
that would be brought back. Another part of her wanted to stay,  
to confront her past, to try to finally deal with all of her  
guilt, all of the hurt she had caused.  
  
Both sides of her knew she had to do this. She had no other  
choice.  
  
Slowly, her hand reached up, and she knocked on the apartment  
door. She heard noises from within, the person she had come to  
see was home, and it was only a matter of time until...  
  
The door opened, and a ghost stood in the doorway, a person  
Akane had not seen in quite some time. Akane watched as  
recognition came to those eyes. Those eyes, which had been a  
major part of Akane's nightmares these last few months. Akane  
saw the look of recognition turn to something else, for she saw  
the accusatory glare in those eyes.  
  
"Akane? Wha... what brings you here after all of this time?"  
  
Trying to collect her nerves, Akane answered, "We have to talk.  
Can I come inside?"  
  
The person on the other side of the door nodded, and stepped  
aside, giving Akane just enough room to enter the apartment.  
Akane looked around at the home of the person who was once a  
major part of her life. It was quite sparse, tidy, very little  
in the way of 'homey' items here. It was just what Akane  
expected.  
  
Hearing the door close behind her, Akane turned and faced her  
host. "You are looking well, how long as it been?"  
  
Akane could see her host hesitate. "Six months, give or take a  
day or two. It's been six months. You are looking good as well,  
Akane."  
  
"Thank you. How have you been doing? Been keeping busy, I hope."  
  
Akane watched as the other half of the conversation paused for a  
second. "Akane, enough of the small talk. I don't think you came  
here for a light chat. Why are you here?"  
  
Lowering her head, Akane replied, "I... we need your help."  
  
Akane heard a snort come from the other side of the room.  
"Typical. Here I was hoping that you had come for some other  
reason, but no. You need something from me. But why me, Akane?  
Why not HIM? Surely HE can help you, after all of the times HE  
has helped you in the past, why would you need my help now?"  
  
Giving a giant sigh, Akane continued, "Because you are the only  
one who can help. Please, you have to help."  
  
"*I* am the only one? What can I give you that he can't? What  
can I do that your darling Ranma can't."  
  
Akane looked straight into the eyes of her host. "To tell the  
truth, he's the one who needs you. And you are the only one who  
can help him."  
  
Akane could almost hear a chortle come from across the room.  
"*HE* needs *MY* help? In a pig's eye, Akane. Look, if you need  
help, why not ask your family? Why not your friends? Why not  
his? Ryoga would be glad to help, I'm sure. He'd do anything, as  
long as you were the one who asked, Akane. And Ukyo and Shampoo,  
if Ranma really needed help, they'd drop everything and be there  
for him in an instant. Or then again maybe not, since it appears  
that you two have finally formalized your engagement, if that  
ring on your finger is what I think it is. So when's the happy  
day?"  
  
Akane nodded. "Yes, we've finally made our engagement official.  
And it took some doing, but we convinced our families that we  
wanted to wait until after college to get married, and which  
point we...  
  
"At which point you would take over the dojo, am I right,  
Akane?"  
  
Akane nodded. "Yes, at which point we would run the dojo,  
together."  
  
"So tell me, Akane, why does the great Saotome Ranma need my  
help? Why come crawling to me after all this time?"  
  
Taking a deep breath, Akane began her tale. "Well, after you  
left, things got quite..."  
  
"Let me guess. After I left, everybody had a big party, and all  
of you celebrated until dawn, or perhaps to the end of the  
week."  
  
"No!" Akane hated hearing these words from this person. "It  
wasn't like that! When you left, it hurt us, all of us. Well,  
most of us, anyways. After Kasumi read us the letter you left  
her, we felt so sad, so guilty over what we had done..."  
  
"Sure you did, Akane. That's why none of you came after me.  
That's why I haven't seen any of you these last six months.  
That's why you turn up on my doorstep now only when you need  
something from me, when Ranma needs something."  
  
"Please," Akane was now close to tears, "you have to understand.  
We all felt so ashamed, none of us felt worthy enough to  
apologize to you, none of us felt able to try to explain to you  
how we felt."  
  
"If you say so, Akane. So anyway, what happened after I left."  
  
Pausing for a second to collect her nerves, Akane answered, "It  
was Kuno. After you left, he became crazy, even crazier than  
before."  
  
Her host began to chuckle. "I'll bet. With me gone, and you  
officially engaged to Ranma, I'm sure he did not take that well  
at all."  
  
Nodding her head in ascent, Akane continued, "Not well at all.  
He totally lost it, and began attacking Ranma even more  
furiously than ever before. For the most part, it was just an  
annoyance for Ranma, but one day, a couple of weeks ago, well...  
  
"Ranma wasn't feeling very well that day. You see, I made him  
breakfast that morning and..."  
  
"And you still can't cook, can you Akane." Akane could hear a  
low chuckle from her host. "I guess some things never change."  
  
Akane tried to keep her anger in check, this was too important.  
"Well, Kuno attacked Ranma, and with Ranma not at full  
strength, Kuno actually managed to get an attack through,  
causing major damage."  
  
"So? How much damage could Kuno do Ranma with that silly bokken  
of his?"  
  
Akane shook her head vigorously. "It wasn't his bokken. Shortly  
after you left, Kuno stopped using his bokken and started using  
something else. A sword. A samurai sword. And Kuno just didn't  
hit Ranma, he penetrated him with the sword, and did some  
internal damage. Most of it was fixed with surgery, but..."  
  
"But what, Akane?" Whatever humor or anger Akane had heard in  
that voice before was now gone, replaced by a tinge of sympathy.  
  
"He damaged his kidneys. Bad, really bad. One kidney is totally  
non-functional. The other one is working right now, but the  
doctors say it's only a matter of time before it fails too. The  
only thing that can save Ranma right now is a transpl..."  
  
"No!"  
  
Akane shrank back from the fury of the reply. "But, please,  
you're the best chance he has."  
  
Akane saw the glare rise up again in those eyes. Those accusing,  
pained, blue eyes.  
  
"Even after all of this time, it's still the same, isn't it,  
Akane? I'm not a real person to any of you, am I? Before, I was  
a ghost, a reminder of something everyone didn't want to be  
reminded of. And now, I'm just a walking body bank for your  
beloved Ranma."  
  
"Ranko, please, listen to me. The doctors have been unable to  
find a usable match. None of the donated kidney's are a good  
match for Ranma, and you, being his twin, so to speak..."  
  
The red-haired, blue eyed girl standing in front of Akane  
replied, "I'm not his twin, when will you all understand that!  
I am, or at least I was, before all of you turned me into Tendo  
Ranko, Ranma just as much as he is!"  
  
Catching her breath before continuing her tirade, Ranko tore  
back into Akane, "That day, that damned day one year ago when  
Happosai used that damned burner to split us in two, I lost  
everything! I lost everything, Akane!"  
  
"Please, I know. But you spent so much time looking for a cure,  
even you gave up when Cologne told you the spell Happosai cast  
overrode all other magic that could be done on you, even  
Jusenkyo. Even the instant Nanniichuan did nothing to you."  
  
"My manhood? You think I'm talking about my manhood? Akane, in  
all of the time I've had to deal with this, I've learned one  
thing. That of all the things that I lost, my manhood was the  
least important of them. Happosai took away my manhood, but all  
of you took everything else away from me. If you read the letter that  
I left Kasumi, you must understand that, at least.":  
  
Akane was close to tears now. "I know, Ranko, I know, and I feel  
so sorry..."  
  
Ranko snorted. "Sorry doesn't cut it, Akane. Do you have any  
kind of idea of what I went through, of the living hell I  
endured? I lived that way, with all of you, for six months  
before I couldn't take it anymore, and I left.  
  
"How long it did take, Akane, how long was it before your father  
and the man who was once my father decided that it would be too  
dangerous for Mom to know the truth about me? No, Pop couldn't  
risk the life of his precious son, so they forced me to live as  
Ranko. They had Nabiki build a paper trail for one Tendo Ranko,  
cousin to you and your sisters. And when that happened, Pop  
abandoned me."  
  
"Please, Ranko. Ranma and I have been over this time and time  
again with your father. Yes, even now he refuses to accept what  
he had done, but the rest of us..."  
  
"I lost my manhood, yes, Akane, but I lost much more. I lost my  
name. I lost my identity. I lost my father. My father, who once  
was the only person in my life, turned his back on me because he  
couldn't deal with me. And I lost my mother. I could never call  
her mother, never be with her as her child. I was always a niece  
to her, nothing more than a niece.  
  
"And that was only the beginning, just the beginning. When I  
attended Furinkan as Ranko, how was I treated? Sure, all of the  
boys hounded me, Kuno especially, but the girls? They treated me  
like some kind of pervert, like I wanted to be a girl just to spy  
on them. They hounded me, they terrorized me, they made my life  
at school torture.  
  
"Happosai, he got just what he wanted, his Ranma-chan, now his  
Ranko-chan, all of the time. The old freak would never leave me  
alone, never! Unlike before, I didn't have the escape of hot  
water from him, because I could never change back, I was always  
a girl, just like Ranma was now always a boy."  
  
"Please, Ranko, please, I know, I know..."  
  
"Your father, sure he allowed me into your home, but he never  
really accepted me, I was just a burden to him, a free-loader.  
But unlike when I was Ranma, he had no reason to be kind to me,  
because I wasn't going to be his heir. And Nabiki, her little  
photo shoots not only continued, but got more racy as time went  
by. Have you seen some of the photos she took of me when I  
wasn't aware she was there? I have, I've seen those photos in  
the possession of the boys at Furinkan, do you have any idea how  
I felt about that?"  
  
Akane could only look down in shame from that.  
  
"And Kasumi, well at least she tried. But did she have to try  
to force me to be a girl just like her? Couldn't she understand  
that wasn't who I am?  
  
"And then there were my friends. My so-called friends. Ryoga,  
at least for a while he was sympathetic. I've always known  
behind his anger was a kind soul. But Ranma had to keep teasing  
and hounding Ryoga, and Ryoga, he eventually took out all of his  
frustrations on Ranma against me! Ukyo? She hardly said two  
words to me after the split, treating me like I was some kind  
of leper. I felt fortunate if I even got served whenever I  
visited Ucchans. And Shampoo? At first she was fine, but after  
Ranma made it clear that it was you, and not her, he was  
interested in, she flipped out. She stopped seeing me as  
'Ranma', and saw me as the girl who bested her in combat back in  
China, and began her Kiss of Death campaign on me all over  
again. Mousse and Cologne tried to stop her, tried to help me,  
but in the end, they sided with her. After all, Mousse would do  
anything for her, and Cologne is family.  
  
"I lost everything, Akane. My manhood, my name, my identity, my  
family and my friends. But do you know the one thing that I lost  
that hurt the most? Do you?"  
  
Akane could not answer, she just hung her head in shame.  
  
"Answer me one thing, Akane. Do you love Ranma?"  
  
Akane was surprised by this question. "Yes, I love him very  
much."  
  
Ranko's eyes once again locked into Akane's. "What is it you  
love about him, Akane? Why do you love him so?"  
  
"I... I know sometimes he can be such a jerk, but he has a kind  
heart, and a good spirit and a warm soul..."  
  
"Liar!"  
  
Akane was taken aback from the force of this response.  
  
"It was his body, nothing more than his body, Akane. It was that  
male body that you wanted, that you coveted. It wasn't love,  
Akane, it was just pure lust!"  
  
Akane shook her head vigorously. "No, it's not like that!"  
  
"No? At the split, Akane, I was the same person as Ranma. The  
exact same, inside. The same heart, the same spirit, the same  
soul. And at the split, how did you react? Just like everyone  
else. You treated him like he was some kind of Greek god, and  
you completely turned your back on me.  
  
"If it was the spirit, the heart, the soul, then wouldn't you  
have at least felt some sympathy for me? Wouldn't you have at  
least tried to help me? That's the kind of person you are,  
Akane. If you care for someone, you would fight tooth and nail  
for them, you would walk through fire for them. You would not  
rest as long as someone you cared about was hurting."  
  
"I did care, Ranko. It was just hard for me. Seeing you reminded  
me about the curse, about how much it hurt all of us. It hurt me  
to see you hurt like that, but I couldn't find the strength to  
help."  
  
"No, you didn't help. When Pop and your father took my name, my  
identity, my mother away from me, did you speak up, did you say  
anything on my behalf? When the girls at Furinkan terrorized me,  
did you say one word in my defense? When Happosai tormented me,  
did you try to help, the way we used to help each other against  
that freak? Did you try to stop Nabiki from doing what she was  
doing? Did you speak to Ryoga or Ukyo for my benefit? Did you  
try to help me deal with the Kunos or the Amazons?  
  
"No, you did none of that. After all of the times that I was  
there for you, all of those times when I came to your aid, the  
time I needed you the most, what did you do? You turned your  
back on me, and devoted yourself exclusively to Ranma. You never  
really cared for me, the person inside of me, Akane. If you had,  
you would have never done what you had done."  
  
Ranko dropped to her knees. "Of everything that I lost, it was  
losing you that hurt the most. I never thought you, of all  
people, would have abandoned me like you did. I always thought,  
that even if I got trapped, like during the full-body cat tongue  
or Herb, that you would stand by me, that you would at least be  
my friend. What a fool I was."  
  
Akane reached down, to try to comfort the young woman in front  
of her. "I'm sorry, really, I'm sorry. I know I was wrong, I  
know I should have done something, please let me try to make  
things up to you."  
  
Ranko brought up her head. "You can make things up to me by  
leaving. Get out, Akane. Get out of my home, get out of my  
life!"  
  
Akane dropped down to her knees to confront Ranko face to face.  
"Ranko, haven't you heard a word I've said? Come back with me,  
we need you. Ranma will die if you don't come back. Even after  
everything that has happened, how can you let him die?"  
  
Ranko's face turned into a snarl. "All of you were willing to  
let ME die. I'm not even alive anymore, Akane, I'm just a  
walking ghost. So Ranma may die. Too bad, I just don't care  
anymore."  
  
Akane stood up, shock on her face. "How... how did you become  
such a heartless bitch?"  
  
Ranko glanced up. "Perhaps I learned it by watching you. Now get  
out of here, before I toss you out."  
  
"You wouldn't... you don't fight girls."  
  
Ranko shook her head. "It was Saotome Ranma who didn't fight  
girls. I haven't been Ranma for a year now, or have you  
forgotten?"  
  
Akane saw the look in Ranko's eyes, and she knew that she had  
lost. She turned away, trying to fight the tears in her eyes.  
She found the door, and headed home.  
  
*******************************************  
  
"She refused? That little ingrate!"  
  
Genma was, to say the least, furious. He was listening to  
Akane's tale in Ranma's hospital room, In addition to Akane,  
Soun and Ranma were also present.  
  
"How could she do this? We gave her a name, we gave her a past,  
we gave her a family! How could she treat us this way now?"  
  
Akane was ready to jump up and yell into Genma's face, but she  
knew it would do no good. She and all of the rest of her family,  
Ranma included, had tried to talk sense into the old fool for  
six months now, but no sense had ever sank in. Still, she  
couldn't remain quiet.  
  
"You GAVE her a name and family? She already HAD a name and a  
family. You took those away from her. You stopped being her  
father..."  
  
"Bah, I was never her father. I only have one child, Ranma here.  
She was nothing more than a freak of nature, a curse come to  
life. I don't care how many times you say it, she was NOT  
Ranma."  
  
"Oh, really, Pop? Is that what you really believe?" Ranma,  
though weakened by his condition, couldn't let Akane take on his  
father alone. "If that's the case, then why didn't you ever use  
Happosai's burner for yourself? We still have it, you know. It  
would cure you. Sure, there would be a panda around, who claims  
to have your mind and memories. But it really wouldn't be you  
now, would it? Whatever soul was in that panda wouldn't matter,  
we'd just send it away to a zoo, and it should be happy we gave  
it a nice home, right?"  
  
"Bah, you all talk nonsense. There is no way that girl is my  
child, my Ranma. I still can't believe after all of this time,  
you still expect me to believe that she is. If she really was  
Ranma, she wouldn't turn her back on us now, when we need her."  
  
"Wouldn't she, uncle?" Akane's nerves had reached the end. "I  
don't blame her, really I don't. What did we ever do for her?  
She didn't run away six months ago, we pushed her away. We  
pushed her, every single one of us. It's ironic, really. We  
pushed her away in part because we had a cured Ranma, and  
because we pushed her away, we may lose Ranma."  
  
Genma stood up, and headed for the door. "No, we will not! I  
will go to her, and drag her here. Ranma will get one of her  
kidneys, even if I have to rip it from her body myself!" And  
with that, Genma left.  
  
"The old fool, will he ever understand?" Ranma felt like hell,  
in part because of his condition, in part because of everything  
else.  
  
"This is hard on him, Son." Soun spoke up, trying to calm Ranma  
down. "He just can't admit to himself that she was his son. To  
do so would mean admitting that he had abandoned his own child  
in her time of need, and he never was good at self-realization."  
  
The three remained silent, wondering on what to do next.  
  
"There's still hope, right, daddy? The doctors say there's  
always a chance of a suitable kidney coming in when we least  
expect it."  
  
Soun walked over and comforted his daughter. He didn't verbally  
respond, but inside he knew that while there was a chance, it  
was going to take a miracle.  
  
*******************************************  
  
Genma, Soun, Akane, and Nabiki all sat in reflection at the  
Tendo home. Nodoka was with Ranma at the hospital now, staying  
with her son for as long as she could. Kasumi and Tofu, who had  
been dating off and on for a couple of months, were with her.  
  
"I can't believe it. She ran away. She just ran away."  
  
After Genma returned from his attempt to bring Ranko back by  
force, he told them all that Ranko had gone. Her neighbors told  
him she had left and mentioned that she would be gone for an  
extended period of time, asking them to watch over her apartment  
while she was gone. She had left no clue as to where she had  
disappeared to.  
  
"When she was needed, she ran away. Wherever did she pick up a  
cowardly trait like that?"  
  
Akane turned towards Genma as he asked this. "I don't know,  
uncle. Just who was it that taught her the Saotome Secret  
Technique anyways?"  
  
The group say in silence for a number of minutes. Eventually,  
their thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.  
Nabiki got up, and went to answer the phone.  
  
Silence continued to dominate the group until Nabiki came back  
into the room. Her face was a mixture of emotions.  
  
"You're not going to believe this, everyone, but that was Auntie  
Saotome. The doctors found a suitable match. They found a kidney  
for Ranma! They're preparing him for surgery now."  
  
All of the parties jumped up, and headed out of the Tendo home,  
heading towards the hospital.  
  
*******************************************  
  
"So, doctor, what can you tell me about the donor?"  
  
Saotome Nodoka was talking to her son's doctor, who was  
explaining the procedure to her as her son was being prepped for  
surgery. Tofu and Kasumi stood behind Nodoka.  
  
"I'm sorry, I can't tell you much, I've been sworn to secrecy."  
  
"Secrecy?"  
  
"Yes, you see the donor died in a traffic accident, and her  
family wants the donation to remain anonymous. I can tell you,  
the kidney is a near perfect match for your son. There should be  
no problem with rejection, although with a major surgery like  
this there can always be complications. But the chances are  
good, Mrs. Saotome, the chances are very good that your son will  
make a complete recovery, and be able to live a normal life."  
  
Nodoka was now in tears. "Oh, thank the kami! I don't know what  
I would have done had I lost my only child. Especially as we  
were separated for so long. It just wasn't fair, being together  
for such a short period of time, to have to be afraid of losing  
him again."  
  
The doctor placed a hand on Nodoka's shoulder. "I understand. We  
are going to do everything we can to make sure your son will be  
okay. The surgery will take some time, so just stay out in the  
waiting room, and when we have some news for you, we will know  
where to find you. Okay?"  
  
"Yes, doctor."  
  
Kasumi began to lead Nodoka towards the waiting room. Tofu  
stayed behind for a moment.  
  
"Doctor, may I ask you a favor? I'm not a medical doctor, just a  
chiropractor, but would you allow me to watch the procedure from  
the observation gallery, as a professional courtesy? I'm not  
only Ranma's chiropractor, but a good friend, and I hope one  
day, a relation."  
  
Ranma's doctor thought about this for a moment. "Okay, but just  
you and no one else, all right."  
  
Tofu nodded, and went to tell Kasumi where we would be.  
  
*******************************************  
  
Tofu looked out over the operating theater. Or was it theaters?  
There were two operating teams, set up in adjoining operating  
rooms. Tofu figured the second o.r. was set up for the donor,  
but he wondered, if the girl was already dead, would they need  
this second room? Wouldn't the kidney have already been  
'harvested', and ready to be transplanted into Ranma?  
  
The doors to one of the o.r.'s opened, and Tofu saw Ranma being  
wheeled in. He watched in appreciation at the professional  
manner the surgical team began to prepare for the surgery. Tofu  
watched as Ranma was being put under, given anesthetics. After a  
moment, Tofu noticed movement from the other room.  
  
Tofu looked over, and saw a person being wheeled into the room.  
He couldn't make out any details about this person, except it  
was definitely a girl. That's odd, Tofu thought. I thought I saw  
her moving for a second. But the doctor said the donor was dead.  
  
Curiouser and curiouser, Tofu thought. Are they giving that girl  
anesthetics? Tofu continued to watch, and eventually, one of the  
surgical team moved enough to allow him to see the face of the  
donor.  
  
At which point Tofu did a massive face-fault.  
  
*******************************************  
  
The entire Saotome and Tendo clans were scrunched together in  
Ranma's room. He had recently been brought back from the  
recovery room, and was still fairly groggy.  
  
Ranma's doctor was also there, making one quick check of his  
patient. "It's too early to tell for sure, Ranma, but it looks  
like the transplant took. Everything indicates a total  
recovery."  
  
Akane was overjoyed. Ranma, her Ranma, was going to be all  
right. Out of the corner of her eye, Akane noticed Tofu talking  
to Kasumi and Nabiki. Hmm, she wondered, I wonder what that's  
all about? Akane wondered more when her sisters excused  
themselves, and left the room.  
  
Just as Ranma's doctor was about to leave the room, Tofu walked  
over to him, and asked, "Can we talk in private, outside?"  
  
Akane watched as Tofu and Ranma's doctor headed out into the  
hallway. As the door to the room slowly shut, she could see them  
in quiet conversation. Akane shook her head at what was going  
on, but focused herself back on her fiancee.  
  
"Oh, Ranma, once again you look defeat right in the face, and  
you spit in it. I am so happy you are going to be okay."  
  
Ranma gave Akane a sheepish grin. "Gee, Akane, just like you to  
get all emotional over this."  
  
"Baka! Now you just stay here and rest. You realize it's going  
to be a while until you're 100%. No sparring with your father or  
Ryoga for some time, mister!"  
  
Ranma stuck out his tongue. "Nahh. You just watch. I'll be out  
of here, and doing back-flips before you know it. Nothing stops  
Saotome Ranma!"  
  
Akane smiled at that. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder.  
It was Tofu.  
  
"Akane, Kasumi and Nabiki went to visit a patient of mine who is  
here at the hospital as well. I expected them back by now. Could  
you go check on them? They should be in room 451."  
  
Akane nodded. "Ranma, I'll be back in a second, okay."  
  
"Yeah, go already. I don't need some tomboy hovering over me  
every second, ya know."  
  
Akane smiled, the two's insults had turned somewhere along the  
way from hurtful taunting to playful teasing. It was a difference  
that meant everything to Akane.  
  
As she left Ranma's room, she headed off in the direction of  
room 451. As she turned a corner, she missed Kasumi and Nabiki  
turning a corner at the opposite end of the hall..  
  
"I wonder why Tofu wanted us to go downstairs and grab tea for  
everybody?" Kasumi asked her sister.  
  
*******************************************   
  
Akane slowly opened the door to room 451.  
  
"Kasumi? Nabiki? Are you here?"  
  
As she opened the door, she saw that her sisters were not there.  
In fact, no one was there, except for the patient who occupied  
this room. Akane looked down at this patient, who had turned her  
own head to look at Akane, and Akane felt her own legs go out  
from under her.  
  
A second later, as she regained her feet, and her composure,  
Akane went over to the bed, and greeted the young girl laying  
down in it.  
  
'Ranko? What are you doing here?"  
  
Ranko looked Akane straight in the eyes, and said, "I was  
gettin' tired of lugging these things around, so I came in for  
breast reduction surgery."  
  
"Riiiiiiight. From where I stand, they look about the same size  
to me, Ranko."  
  
Ranko grinned. "The doctors just couldn't go through with it.  
They told me they didn't want to mess with perfection."  
  
Akane smiled. "Is that so? So if I were to look under your robe,  
I wouldn't find a bandage over where a scar might be, say over  
one of your kidneys?"  
  
Ranko's eyes turned down, and she remained quiet.  
  
"Why, Ranko, why?"  
  
"'Cause I ain't no killer. Even after everything that happened,  
I just couldn't let him die like that."  
  
"Baka," Akane replied. "I know THAT. I mean, why didn't you say  
anything?"  
  
Ranko caught her breath. "'Cause I didn't do it, Akane, I didn't  
do it to get your gratitude, to get your pity. I did it 'cause  
it had to be done."  
  
Akane paused for a moment, thinking over what to say next.  
Eventually, the words came.  
  
"Ranko, come home."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Akane let out a breath. "Come home. Come back with us, isn't it  
time you returned?"  
  
Ranko began to shake her head. "No, Akane, I can't. I just  
can't."  
  
"Ranko, you had your say the other day, now let me have mine.  
There's a lot you don't know, a lot happened after you left that  
you don't know, and I'm not going to shut up until I say it all.  
  
"Many of your problems, many of the things that drove you away  
are fixed now, Ranko. They aren't problems anymore. For one,  
after you left, I had a long talk with my classmates at  
Furinkan. I read them the riot act. Many of them are ashamed at  
how they treated you, Ranko, and would love to try to make up  
for it. Some are sorry, and they will probably just leave you  
alone. There are a few who wouldn't listen, but you won't be  
alone this time. You'll have me and some of the other girls to  
support you, to back you up against them.  
  
"Then there's Ryoga and Ukyo. After they heard your letter,  
after we all talked about it, they both felt really bad over the  
way they treated you. Ryoga felt so bad, that he even confessed  
his own curse to me, after all of this time."  
  
"Really, Akane, he told you the truth? How did you react?"  
  
Akane nodded. "Yes, he told me the truth, and at first I was  
furious. Eventually Ranma calmed me down, and explained to me  
that Ryoga wasn't trying to take advantage of me, or anything  
like that. The three of us had a long talk after that, and we  
settled our problems. Ryoga's not angry at Ranma all of the time  
now, and Ranma doesn't tease him like he used to. The three of  
us have never been closer, Ranko, never. And Ukyo? She changed  
the name of her restaurant. It's called 'Rankos' now, not  
'Ucchans'. If you came back, you'd have your Ucchan back. And  
she and Ryoga have been seeing a lot of each other, in fact  
Ryoga is staying at 'Rankos' now, it's a home to him.  
  
"Father, when he realized what he had done, he cried for a week.  
Kasumi is really sorry for trying to force you into that, Ranko,  
she really is. And Nabiki?  
  
"Remember how I told you that Kuno got real crazy when you left?  
Your leaving was only part of it. First, Nabiki refused to sell  
any more pictures of you to anyone. Second, she started  
acquiring all of the photos she did sell, some she bought back  
at a loss, some she used blackmail to get back. In Kuno's case,  
she had Ryoga and Ukyo sneak into the Kuno estate and pilfer  
every last photo of you that he had. Then she took the photos,  
plus the negatives, and she burned them. She did save a few,  
which she put into a scrapbook which she keeps, and no one else  
sees. She calls it her 'Album of Shame' and I've seen her look  
in it, crying herself to sleep at night.  
  
"Kuno's no longer a problem for you, either. After the attack  
on Ranma, he got arrested. He's now being held, pending a  
psychiatric exam. One way or another, he's no longer a worry."  
  
Akane paused for a second, catching her breath.  
  
"Some problems still exist. Happosai is still out there, but I'm  
sure all of us together can deal with him. Kodachi is out there  
too, but again, we can deal with her together. Shampoo still  
hasn't come to her senses, either. And your father, well you  
know how stubborn he is."  
  
Ranko nodded at that.  
  
"We've tried, and tried, and tried until we were blue in the  
face, but still he won't listen. But maybe we can still find a  
way.  
  
"So you see, Ranko, no matter what, we can work this out. We can  
do it together. You and me and Ranma and all the rest of us, we  
can do this."  
  
Ranko shook her head, "No, Akane, it won't work. I still can't  
come back."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Ranko looked Akane straight in the eyes. "You may be able to fix  
a lot of things, Akane, but the two biggest problems, the two  
big ones won't be fixed so easily."  
  
"And which problems are those?"  
  
Ranko sighed before continuing. "The first is mother. Do you  
know how hard it was on me to see her all of the time, and not  
be able to call her mother? How hard it was to see Ranma be with  
her as her son, knowing that if it wasn't for fate, that would  
be me?"  
  
"We could tell you mother the truth..."  
  
Ranko shook her head. "No, I went through all of this to save  
Ranma's life, I'm not going to risk putting his head on the  
chopping block now. No, if I went back, every time I saw her, I  
would die just a little bit. I can't put myself through that  
again.  
  
"And even if she did know the truth, and was all right with it,  
there's still the second problem. And that problem isn't so  
easily fixed. In fact, it's a no-win situation."  
  
Akane stared down at Ranko. "And which problem is this?"  
  
"You."  
  
Akane stood speechless as Ranko continued. "You see, Akane, I  
know something. I know Ranma loves you. I know Ranma loves you  
more than anything. And do you know how I know this?"  
  
"I have a pretty good idea."  
  
Ranko grinned. "Because I love you too. Even after all of this  
time, even after everything that has happened, I still love you,  
Akane. I have for a long time.  
  
"What I said to you the other day, Akane, about it being lust,  
not love, I'm sorry about that. I really didn't mean it, I was  
just hurt. I was just lashing out. You know me, I tend to say  
stupid things at the drop of a hat. Even after all of this time,  
I still manage to find a way to say the wrong things."  
  
Akane reached down, and took Ranko's hand. "It's all right,  
Ranko. I understand. I know you were hurting."  
  
Ranko nodded. "Yes, and if I return, the hurting would just keep  
coming. Every time I would see you two together, it would hurt.  
When you and Ranma get married, when you take over the dojo,  
when I see you with your children, it will hurt, more than  
anything has ever hurt me.  
  
"Maybe if it was Ryoga you were with, or Shinnosuke, or someone  
else, it would be different, maybe in time I could deal with it.  
But it's Ranma, the person I once was. Every time I would see  
you two, I would be reminded that it could be ME that was with  
you, me that was the father of your children, me that was  
running the dojo. How he got everything that I had, that I  
wanted.  
  
"There's a part of me that wants to hate him for that, but I  
can't. I used to be him, after all, and I am happy that his  
life has turned out this way. I just can't deal with the  
reminder that what he gained, I had lost. I just can't do it."  
  
Tears began to come to Ranko's eyes. Akane looked down at the  
young girl, and she made a decision.  
  
"Ranko, you are coming home with us."  
  
"Akane, please, didn't you hear a word..."  
  
"Quiet! Didn't you tell me that I was the type of person who,  
how did you put it, would walk through fire for those I care  
about? Well, I care about you, Ranko. Just as much as I care  
about Ranma. And I will find a way, I swear it, I will find a  
way to make this work out. I will not rest until you are back in  
my life, one way or another. Please, all I ask, Ranko, is to  
give me a chance.  
  
Ranko slowly nodded. "Okay, I guess I can give you a chance. But  
I've been over this in my mind many times. I just don't see a  
way."  
  
A large grin graced Akane's face. "Well, now it's my turn to try  
to find a way. Now I just want you to stay here and rest. You've  
been through a lot, and it will take some time until you are  
totally recovered."  
  
Ranko stuck out her tongue. "Nahh. You just watch. I'll be out  
of here, and doing back-flips before you know it. Nothing stops  
Tendo Ranko!"  
  
Akane began to laugh. "Baka," she quietly said. And she stayed  
with Ranko for a few moments, before she headed back to Ranma.  
  
*******************************************   
  
Akane walked back into Ranma's room. Most of the family had  
left, for Akane only saw her father and Ranma's there with him.  
She walked into the room, past the bathroom door that sat at the  
side of the room, and nervously went to Ranma.  
  
"Akane, where have you been?" Ranma looked up at his fiancee,  
noticing an odd look on her face.  
  
"I just came from talking to the donor of your kidney."  
  
Soun looked at his daughter with an odd expression. "You talked  
to... but the doctor told us the donor died in a traffic  
accident. How could you have talked to her?"  
  
Akane shook her head. "Come on now, don't you think it was too  
perfect, for a donor to just come out of the blue like that?  
Just where do you think such a perfect match came from anyways?  
Just who do you think I just talked to?"  
  
"Ranko?" Genma asked quietly.  
  
"Yes, Ranko. You remember her, don't you? You remember the child  
you abandoned?" Akane's voice started to get louder, as the pent  
up anger in her quelled.  
  
Genma began to wave his arms in front of himself. "Ssh, Akane,  
not so loud!"  
  
"Not so loud?" Akane was now quite livid. "I'll be as loud as I  
want to be. Do you understand what she just did? Ranko, the  
person we all pushed away from us, saved Ranma's life, and  
wanted to keep quiet about it! She was willing to let us think  
the worst about her for the rest of our lives. If it wasn't for  
Tofu-sensei, I'd never have learned the truth.  
  
"She saved Ranma's life, uncle, not to get in our good graces,  
not to try to worm her way back into our lives, but because it  
was the right thing to do. Because it was the honorable thing to  
do. Honor, you remember that, don't you? Once upon a time you  
believed in honor."  
  
"I still believe in honor. And please, keep your voice down."  
  
"Honor?" Akane was now screaming. "Where is the honor in what  
you did to Ranko? Where is the honor of a father destroying his  
child's life? Where is the honor of keeping your own child from  
ever really knowing her mother? For once, and for all, you  
moron, deal with the fact that she is as much Ranma as he is. If  
you had any honor, you would never have done what you did to  
her! You..."  
  
Akane stopped in her tirade as she heard a sound from behind  
her. The sound of a toilet flushing. She turned around, and  
noticed the door to the bathroom behind her and off to the side.  
After a moment, she noticed the door open, and saw a figure  
emerge from the bathroom.  
  
"Auntie... I didn't know you were here."  
  
"Nodoka, dear, how much..." Genma was tongue-tied, afraid that  
his secrets might come back to haunt him.  
  
"How much did I hear, husband? Enough. Now explain to me just  
what Akane was talking about. What is this about Ranko being  
your child? How is she Ranma as much as my son is?"  
  
"Dear, you misheard, that's not what Akane was saying at all.  
Right, Akane?" Genma turned his eyes towards Akane, with a  
pleading look in them.  
  
Akane said nothing.  
  
"Genma, I am waiting."  
  
Genma began to sweat. He kept his eyes focused on the bundle on  
his wife's back.  
  
"Mother, please. I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything."  
  
Nodoka turned towards the bed, to where her son lay. She looked  
Ranma straight in the eyes, and waited.  
  
Ranma gulped, and began to tell his mother everything.  
Everything from Jusenkyo, to his curse, and all of the  
complications that came with it. He told her about 'Ranko', and  
how he hid from Nodoka as Ranko, afraid of the pledge. He told  
her about Happosai, and how Happosai split him in two, two  
separate people, one in a male body, the other in a female one.  
He told her how his father had insisted that the 'other Ranma'  
become Ranko, to protect all of their lives from Nodoka's  
katana. And how Ranko's life turned to hell, and why she  
eventually left.  
  
Ranma spoke for a long time, and it was hard for him to confess  
it all. It was hard for him to admit that he had lied to his own  
mother all of this time, and hard to admit his own guilt in what  
had happened to his other self. But after it was all said, he  
felt relief, as if a giant pressure had been lifted from his  
soul.  
  
And after he was done, Saotome Nodoka stood there, frozen in  
time. She made no sound, no movement for a number of minutes.  
  
"Mom?" Ranma was getting more than a little concerned.  
  
Nododa's eyes began to glaze over. Ranma saw a sign of something  
there. A sign of pure hatred. He saw his mother turn towards his  
father.  
  
"Is it true? Is everything that Ranma just told me true? Tell  
me, husband."  
  
Genma began to shudder, and he dropped to his knees, hanging his  
head down, pleading.  
  
"Please, please, please, understand..."  
  
"Did Ranma fall into this spring of drowned girl, what was the  
name of it again?"  
  
"Nyanniichuan," Akane offered.  
  
"Did he, husband?"  
  
Genma slowly nodded. "Yes," he quietly replied.  
  
"Did you have him hide from me as Ranko whenever I visited?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Nodoka's anger was at a fever pitch now. "That girl, the one I  
know as Ranko, does she really have Ranma's soul in her? Is she  
our child?"  
  
Genma kept his head down as much as he could. He really didn't  
want to answer this question, not to his wife, and not to  
himself.  
  
"Well?" Nodoka waited for an answer.  
  
"Yes. It's true, it's all true." Genma hated hearing himself say  
those words. Admitting this was the hardest thing he had ever  
done in his life.  
  
In a second, Genma felt cold steel on the back of his neck.  
  
"How could you? Tell me, how could you do such a thing?"  
  
Gulping, Genma answered, "I was afraid. I was afraid that if you  
learned about Ranma's curse, you wouldn't think him a  
man-among-men, and force us to commit seppuku."  
  
Genma looked up and saw his wife's eyes flaring with a hatred so  
pure, it chilled him to his bones.  
  
"Do you honestly think so little of me? Could you not believe  
that I would have understood? Did you not have enough faith that  
I would be able to see that Ranma was truly a man-among-men,  
despite his appearance?"  
  
"I can forgive you giving him that awful curse, Genma. I can  
forgive you having him hide, at first, as Ranko, prior to the  
split. But I can never forgive you for what you did after Ranma  
was split. Never. I can never forgive a parent for abandoning  
his own child. His own child."  
  
If Genma could hang his head in shame any lower, he just found a  
way.  
  
"I will not kill Ranma, or Ranko either, Genma. As far as I am  
concerned, they have both proven their worth to me. I will not  
kill my children over your stupidity. Ranma truly is a  
man-among-men. You on the other hand...  
  
"Have no fear, Genma, I will not kill you either. The pact was  
to make Ranma a man-among-men, which he is in spite of you, not  
because of you. You are not a man-among-men, but that was not  
the terms of the pact. Plus, I will not take my children's  
father away from them. Just as long as he acts like a father. To  
both of them. Do you understand me?"  
  
Genma slowly nodded.  
  
Nodoka turned to Akane. "There is nothing that can cure Ranko?  
She will never have her male form ever again?"  
  
Akane shook her head. "No. The one person who knows most about  
this, and of magic, told us so."  
  
Akane felt Nodoka's hand touch her shoulder. "Then tell me where  
I can find my...daughter. I must let her know she has a mother."  
  
"She's in room 451. Turn right when you leave this room, and  
you'll find it."  
  
Nodoka smiled. "Thank you, Akane. I am proud of you. I can see  
why my son loves you so much. I will be honored to have you as a  
daughter-in-law one day."  
  
Akane smiled, and thanked her future mother-in-law, then watched  
as she headed out of the room. She then turned to her father and  
Genma.  
  
"Could you two leave Ranma and me alone for a moment. There's  
something I want to talk to him about, privately."  
  
The two nodded, and slowly got up to leave. Before leaving,  
Genma turned to his son and said, "Ranma, I'm sorry."  
  
Ranma sighed. "Pop, you're apologizing to the wrong person."  
  
Genma nodded, and left Akane and Ranma alone together.  
  
"So, Akane, what is it?"  
  
Akane sat down next to Ranma, taking his hand. "I asked Ranko  
to come back to us. I told her I'd help in solving her  
problems."  
  
"Good."  
  
Akane looked downcast. "Her mother was one of those problems,  
I'd glad that one was taken care of this way. But there is one  
problem I don't know how to deal with."  
  
Ranma looked at Akane, and quietly said, "It's you, isn't it,  
Akane? She's in love with you, even after everything."  
  
Akane nodded.  
  
Ranma gave a slight frown. "I can understand that. I mean I know  
how much I care, and I know those feelings wouldn't go away so  
easily."  
  
Akane smiled. "It's flattering in a way. It's proof to me that  
you really do love me, you know Ranma. If she can still love me  
after all of this, the two of us have a good chance of having a  
good life together, don't you think?"  
  
Ranma nodded. "But that's going to make things rough on her. I  
know how I'd feel if it was me in that situation. And it is, in  
a way."  
  
Akane smiled. "Yes, even after everything that has happened to  
her, there is still so much of you in her. She told me this was  
a no-win situation, and she may be right. I mean, it's not like  
I can marry you both."  
  
"Nope," Ranma replied, "Let's face it, living with one of me is  
going to be hard enough for you. I know I'm not the easiest  
person to deal with. But two of us? You wouldn't last the week.  
Hell, Akane, you're strong willed and all, but you're only one  
person."  
  
"Yes. Plus any children we have would be ours, not hers. and..."  
  
Akane stopped for a moment, lost in thought.  
  
"Akane, what is it?" Ranma saw the look on his fiancee's face,  
and became concerned.  
  
"Could that work? I mean, could that possibly work?" Akane was  
now muttering to herself. "It's so simple, but yet..."  
  
"Akane?"  
  
Akane turned her head, and smiled. She looked at Ranma and gave  
him the biggest smile in her life.  
  
"I have an idea, Ranma. I just got an idea. I just got a  
wonderful, awful idea."  
  
*******************************************  
  
Ranko was laying quietly in her bed, when she heard the door to  
her room open. As she turned her head, she began to ask, "Akane,  
why are you back so..."  
  
Then she stopped when she noticed it wasn't Akane who entered  
her room, but someone else.  
  
"Auntie?"  
  
Saotome Nodoka went over to Ranko's bed, and looked sadly at the  
young girl.  
  
"Dear, I never want to hear you call me that ever again."  
  
Ranko looked up at her mother, and replied, "But..."  
  
Nodoka shook her head. "Isn't there something else you want to  
call me, something else you've been wanting to call me for a  
long time now?"  
  
Ranko was in shock, and said nothing.  
  
"Don't you wish to call me mother?"  
  
Ranko began to breathe heavily. "Mo...mo...mother?"  
  
"Yes, dear. I know. Ranma told me everything."  
  
Ranko gulped. "Is he all right?"  
  
Nodoka nodded. "Yes, he's still in one piece, if that's what  
you're worried about. I will not force my son to commit seppuku.  
Or my daughter either."  
  
"Daught...you accept me as your daughter?"  
  
Nodoka reached down, and stroked Ranko's hair. "Of course. What  
mother wouldn't be proud to have someone like you as their  
daughter. Now isn't there something you want to say to me,  
Ranko?"  
  
Tears began to streak down Ranko's face. "Mother...Mom, I'm so  
sorry, I'm so sorry."  
  
"Shh, it wasn't your fault. I understand. I just want us to be  
together, as a family, from this moment on."  
  
"Really, mom?" Ranko was overjoyed. The thought of having her  
mother was almost too much for her.  
  
"Yes, really. I understand that legally, you are officially  
Tendo Ranko now. I will just have to adopt you, so you can be a  
Saotome again. I hope you don't mind becoming Saotome Ranko."  
  
Ranko gasped. "I don't care what you call me, as long as you are  
my mother. That's all that matters to me."  
  
Nodoka grinned. "How does it feel, calling me mother?"  
  
"Wonderful! I don't think I'll ever get tired of it, mother.  
  
"Mother. Mother, mother, mother, mother, mother. Never has  
saying one word meant so much to me." Ranko's tears were truly  
flowing now.  
  
"I swear to you, Ranko, I will never let you out of my life ever  
again. Never."  
  
The two women stayed there, neither wanting to leave the others  
company, as the hours passed.  
  
*******************************************  
  
Ranma looked at Akane in shock.  
  
"Have you lost your mind, Akane?"  
  
Akane shook her head. "Nope, I've never thought so clearly in  
all of my life."  
  
"But," Ranma interjected, "you realize what this will do? What  
this will do to you?"  
  
"Of course I understand, baka. That's the whole point."  
  
"And you're willing to put yourself through that?"  
  
Akane looked down at Ranma, and smiled. "I love you, Ranma, and  
I would do anything for you, you know that. But I love Ranko  
too. I drove her out of my life once, and I don't want to lose  
her ever again. And this way is perfect."  
  
"Perfect? For one thing, you don't know if it will work the same  
way. It might do something much worse to you than you think.  
Magic isn't some toy, Akane, this is serious stuff you're  
dealing with."  
  
"I know. I know it may not work. I know it may misfire. But I'm  
willing to take that chance. For your sake, as well as hers, I  
have to do this. I want to do this."  
  
"If this is want you want, Akane, I will stand by you. But think  
this though more carefully. I don't want you hurt if this  
backfires. I love you too much."  
  
Akane bent down, and kissed Ranma on his forehead. "Thank you  
for your concern. But this will work, I know it."  
  
*******************************************  
  
"And that's the plan."  
  
Akane sat and watched the faces of everyone assembled in the  
dojo. Ranma and Ranko were still recuperating in the hospital,  
and Nodoka was there as well, not wanting to leave her  
children's side. Akane had already told Nodoka about her idea,  
and although Nodoka had some reservations about it, just like  
Ranma, she eventually gave Akane her blessing.  
  
So Akane looked out at the rest of the group. Her father and her  
sisters were here, as well as Saotome Genma. Ukyo and Ryoga  
were also in attendance. And there was Tofu, by Kasumi's side.   
Akane saw the stunned look on all of their faces as she told  
them her plan.  
  
"Well?" Akane asked.  
  
"Akane, you can't be serious. Ranma was right, this is too  
dangerous. I don't want you doing this."  
  
"Daddy!" Akane replied. "Can't you see, this is the only way,  
the only way for all of us to be happy. It will be too hard on  
Ranko if I don't do this. And if she is hurt, eventually Ranma  
and I will be hurt by it too. I don't see any other way. Do  
you?"  
  
Soun shook his head.  
  
"Look, to make this work, I want and I need all of your support.  
And your help."  
  
Ukyo shook her head in wonder. "Our help? Sugar, how can we  
help?"  
  
Akane grinned. "First, I need an item from the Nekohanten, and I  
don't expect them to hand it over willingly, not with Shampoo's  
vendetta. Ukyo, you and Ryoga can help me acquire that item."  
  
Ryoga nodded his head. "Of course, Akane, whatever you want. But  
is this what you want?"  
  
"Yes, this is what I want."  
  
Ukyo and Ryoga shared a glance, and then the two nodded. Ukyo  
spoke up. "Okay, honey, we're in."  
  
Akane turned to her father. "Now the other item we need, we  
still have. But I need the spell that goes with it. Father?"  
  
Soun nodded. "I found the spell you need among The Masters  
things after, well you know. I wanted to burn it, but I locked  
it away. I can get it for you."  
  
Akane smiled. "Okay, now none of you are to tell Ranko about  
this. I know her, she will try to stop me. And I will not let  
anyone stop me."  
  
Everybody agreed. No one was real happy with this, but everyone  
could understand what Akane was saying. It didn't mean they had  
to like it.  
  
"Nabiki, you come with me to the Nekohanten. You and I can  
distract them while Ryoga and Ukyo do what they have to do."  
  
Nabiki nodded, and the four left together, headed towards the  
Nekohanten.  
  
*******************************************  
  
"So, how are you two getting along?"  
  
Nodoka looked out at the hospital beds that her children were  
in. She had managed to talk the hospital into moving Ranma and  
Ranko into a double room, so she could be with both of her  
children at the same time.  
  
"It's not too bad, mother. It is weird seeing him again after  
all of this time."  
  
Ranma agreed. "Yeah. Out of sight, but never out of mind, hey,  
little sister?"  
  
Ranko gagged. "Please, don't call me that. I ain't your sister,  
at least not legally yet."  
  
"Whatever. You know, I always wanted to be a big brother."  
  
"A big brother? Hey, we're the same age, you moron!"  
  
"Children, please!" Nodoka wasn't sure if she was amused or  
disturbed by the youngsters antics. "Ranko, you haven't told us  
what you've been doing with yourself after you left."  
  
Ranko smiled a little. "Not much to tell. I found a cheap  
apartment, which is good, 'cause I can't work too many hours,  
what with school, and trying to keep up with my martial arts  
and stuff."  
  
"You have a job?"  
  
"Yeah, waitressing tables at some crummy little restaurant. Hey,  
Ranma, remember when we worked for the old ghoul to try to get  
hold of the Phoenix Pill?'  
  
Ranma groaned. "Oh, yeah, I'll never forget that. Man, she was  
a real slave driver."  
  
Ranko chuckled. "She was nothing compared to my current boss.  
Not to mention, he's a total hentai. I tell ya, some of the  
stuff I have to put up with, Ranma you don't realize how good ya  
got it."  
  
"I might have an idea. Remember, I had to put up with Kuno, not  
to mention Mikado and some of those other jerks. Man, it's great  
not to have to deal with that any more."  
  
Ranko humphed. "And thanks for rubbing it in. Man, I tell you,  
my boss and some of my customers, they could give Happosai  
lessons in perversion. And some of the boys at my school aren't  
much better."  
  
Nodoka smiled. "So, Ranko, do you have a boyfriend?"  
  
"Mother! Gross, I can't believe you would think that! I mean..."  
  
Nodoka shook her head. "So. You are a girl now, and you can  
never be a boy again. You still like girls? I mean, I would try  
to understand if you went that way."  
  
Ranko made a face. "With another girl? Eww, that's almost as  
gross as me being with a guy!"  
  
Nodoka frowned. "So then what, Ranko? Are you going to live the  
rest of your life alone? I mean, don't you want to be with  
somebody. Maybe have a family someday?"  
  
Ranko paused for a moment. "No, I don't want to be alone the  
rest of my life. I've been alone all of these months, and I have  
hated every minute of it. And I would like a family. I just  
can't deal with being with somebody, man or woman, like that.  
Maybe in time, but..."  
  
"I understand, dear. Don't worry, one day a person will come  
along, someone you want to spend the rest of your life with,  
and all of your reservations will disappear. You loved Akane,  
while spending time as both a girl and a boy. Weren't you ready  
to try a relationship with her then, even if you would never be  
cured?"  
  
"Hmm, yeah, but..."  
  
"But nothing, Ranko. Trust me, eventually you'll understand.  
Maybe even sooner than you think."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Nodoka gave her daughter a warm smile. "Just trust me, dear."  
  
Ranko returned her smile. "Always, mother."  
  
*******************************************  
  
The two youngest Tendo sisters walked into the Nekohanten. They  
looked around, and fortunately it was fairly dead. The place  
wasn't as busy as it used to be, not after Shampoo starting  
acting more irrational than before.  
  
Speaking of whom...  
  
"What violent girl and money girl want? You two not welcome  
here. Go now."  
  
Akane felt a tightness in the back of her throat. She was  
worried now, and couldn't speak. Nabiki did speak up however.  
  
"And a pleasure to see you as always, Miss Kitty. We were hoping  
to talk to you, Duck-boy and the old prune. Of course, if you  
want to get into a shouting match, hey, that works for us too."  
  
Shampoo gave the sisters a look of pure rage. "You two not go?  
Fine, then Shampoo throw trash out. With pleasure."  
  
"Let's not be hasty, Great-Granddaughter. Let's hear what they  
have to say, first."  
  
Shampoo huffed, and turned around to see Mousse and Cologne  
standing there. Just perfect, she thought. Just as she was going  
to have some fun, she has to come along and ruin everything.  
  
"So, Akane, what brings you and your delightful sister here?"  
Cologne eyed the two carefully, trying to catch a hint or a sign  
of what brought these two here, right now.  
  
"What?" Nabiki answered, "We just can't come in, and shoot the  
breeze with such charming people like yourself?"  
  
Nabiki was a little worried as well. But she and Akane had to  
buy some time.  
  
*******************************************  
  
In the back of the Nekohanten, a small pig made his way through  
an open window. Once inside, he used the kettle, and the hot  
water within, that was tied to him. In time, a naked young man  
opened the back door, allowing his cohort entrance.  
  
"Here, Ryoga." Ukyo said, trying to keep her eyes away from him  
at this moment. "Put your clothes back on, then let's get started.  
I hope it doesn't take too long to find what we're looking for."  
  
All dressed up, Ryoga began heading in one direction. "I think  
they keep their stuff over here."  
  
Ukyo caught Ryoga before he went too far. "Look, sugar, you head  
that way, you'll walk right into the front of the restaurant,  
and our cover will be blown. Sometimes you are so pathetic, I  
don't know why I put up with you."  
  
Ryoga grinned. "You told me why just the other night."  
  
Ukyo shook her head. "Now's not the time to deal with that,  
sugar. We have work to do, and quickly. Before one of them comes  
back here for some reason.  
  
The two nodded, and Ukyo guided Ryoga to a back part of the  
building, and the two started their search.  
  
*******************************************  
  
"We came to talk to you about Ranko."  
  
Akane watched as three pairs of eyes bore into her. Two pairs  
looked sad, and sympathetic. The third was anything but.  
  
"Curse girl? Tell Shampoo where she is. Shampoo kill."  
  
"Why?" Akane knew what Shampoo's answer would be, but she needed  
this conversation to last awhile.  
  
"Why? Curse girl beat Shampoo in combat. By law, by Kiss of  
Death, she die. Curse girl reason Shampoo cursed. This personal.  
Curse girl remind Ranma about curse. Shampoo prove love to Ranma  
by killing her."  
  
"Ranma?" Akane was getting just a little angry. "Ranma chose me,  
not you, you bimbo! Isn't it time you realized that? Ukyo has,  
and now she and Ryoga are together. Isn't it time you gave up on  
Ranma, and finally noticed the one man who has loved you all of  
this time?"  
  
"Hmmph, Shampoo no want Mousse. Shampoo want Ranma. Ranma belong  
to Shampoo by right, by law. Ranma confused now, but Shampoo  
prove love to Ranma."  
  
"How, by killing Ranko? Ranma doesn't hate Ranko. As a matter of  
fact..."  
  
Nabiki brought her hand on Akane's shoulder to stop her. "Akane,  
allow me."  
  
Nabiki turned towards Shampoo. "Okay, first, Ranko gave Ranma  
her kidney. She saved his life, Shampoo. If you had killed her  
long ago, Ranma would be at death's door right now."  
  
"Shampoo no care. Curse girl serve purpose, now she die, no  
longer needed."  
  
"Second, Ranma doesn't want her dead. He wants her to be part of  
his life, as his sister, so to speak. She's not a reminder of  
his curse to him, but a person, an important person in his life.  
Killing her will just make Ranma more angry at you."  
  
"Ranma confused now. Ranma understand once she dead."  
  
"If you attack her, Ranma will take it personally. He will take  
it as an attack on himself. If you attack her, Ranma will fight  
by her side against you. And he will not be alone."  
  
"What money girl mean?"  
  
Nabiki sighed. "Ranko is important to all of us, and every  
single one of us will fight for her. Ranma, Akane, Father, Mr.  
Saotome, Ukyo, Ryoga and me."  
  
Shampoo scoffed at that. "You? You no fighter."  
  
Nabiki smiled. "No, but I may be more dangerous than the rest  
of them. You know what I'm capable of. Do you really want me  
as an enemy?"  
  
Shampoo stopped for a moment, thinking about this. Eventually  
she replied, "Shampoo no care. Matter of honor. Only way  
Shampoo regain honor is by killing. Amazon Law demands it.  
Do YOU really want ME as an enemy?"  
  
As the two glared at each other, Cologne turned her head. That's  
odd, she thought, I thought I heard something from the back.  
  
She smiled to herself. This is just a diversion. They are up to  
something, but what? I could stop this charade now, and go into  
the back and find out. But she thought about everything that had  
happened, and decided not to. I"ll figure it out later, after  
they leave. As long as Great-Granddaughter doesn't notice it, I  
won't draw her attention to it.  
  
*******************************************  
  
"Man, I can't believe all of the stuff they have here. What is  
all of this, anyways?"  
  
Ukyo shook her head. "I'd be careful with that, sugar. Knowing  
the Amazons, it's bound to be dangerous, especially to someone  
already touched by magic, like yourself."  
  
Ryoga nodded, and carefully put a bracelet he was holding down.  
He looked to the side, and noticed a box. He opened the box, and  
looked inside.  
  
"Hey, I think we hit paydirt."  
  
Ukyo came over to where Ryoga was, and looked down as well. She  
grinned, "Yep, looks like what we're looking for. Now where's  
that paper Nabiki gave me with the Chinese symbol to look for?  
We don't want to take the wrong thing back with us, you know."  
  
Ryoga swallowed. "Yeah. Akane would have our necks."  
  
Ukyo brought one item up from the box. "Here, I think this is  
it. You want to double check?"  
  
Ryoga looked at the symbol on the sheet that Ukyo had, and  
compared it to the symbol on the item Ukyo took from the box.  
"Yep, looks right to me."  
  
"Okay, let's get out of here before we're found out."  
  
*******************************************  
  
"Shampoo not listen. You try to confuse Shampoo. Not work,  
Shampoo not fooled. Curse girl show up, Shampoo kill. Stop  
wasting Shampoo's time."  
  
Nabiki frowned. This was about to end, hopefully those two are  
almost done. Suddenly, she heard the door to the restaurant  
open, and two people walk in. Turning towards the sound, Nabiki  
was relieved to see it was Ukyo and Ryoga.  
  
"Hey there, you two, Kasumi told us we'd find you here." Ukyo  
addressed the group, and as she did so, she gave Akane and  
Nabiki a slight nod, letting them know they had what they came  
for.  
  
"Frankly, it's time we went home." Akane shot Shampoo a glance.  
"It's obvious we are not welcome here."  
  
"Hmmph, Shampoo tell violent girl that from beginning."  
  
The four co-conspirators left the Nekohanten, and began to  
return to the Tendo home.  
  
"Let's see it, Ukyo."  
  
Ukyo held up the item, for Akane to see. Akane took it from  
Ukyo, and eyed it carefully.  
  
Nabiki looked at it, and frowned. "You know, Akane, it's not too  
late to change your mind."  
  
Akane shook her head. "I'm not changing my mind. Let's head  
home, after we stop somewhere else first."  
  
Nabiki's eyebrows shot up. "And where would that be?"  
  
Ukyo and Ryoga glanced at each other, then Ryoga spoke up.  
"Akane, you don't need us anymore, right? We should get back to  
'Rankos' before the rush hits."  
  
Akane went over, and hugged Ryoga, causing him to blush. "Thanks  
for the help, you guys. Remember, in a couple of days, Ranma and  
Ranko come home from the hospital, then I'll put the plan in  
action. I want both of you present."  
  
Ukyo grinned. "Sugar, we wouldn't miss this for the world, right  
Ryoga?"  
  
Ryoga agreed, and the two waved good-bye to the Tendo sisters,  
leaving them alone.  
  
Nabiki turned back to Akane, "Okay, so just where is it you're  
dragging me to this time?"  
  
Grinning from ear to ear, Akane replied. "You'll see. I hope you  
brought some cash with you, sis. I need to buy something."  
  
Nabiki wondered what was going through Akane's mind, until they  
reached their destination. Once she saw what Akane had in mind,  
Nabiki began to chuckle.  
  
"I see. Don't worry, Akane. I'll make sure you'll get a good  
price. Trust me, we'll find something really nice."  
  
*******************************************  
  
Time passed, and eventually the day had arrived. There was a  
good crowd of people around, as Ranma and Ranko entered the  
Tendo grounds.  
  
Ranko was close to tears at the sights in front of her. There  
was a large banner adorning the entrance, saying "Welcome Home,  
Ranko." In addition, a number of people were present. In  
addition to her parents, who had escorted her back from the  
hospital, all of the Tendos, save Akane, were there. Tofu, Ukyo  
and Ryoga were there as well, and Ranko even recognized a few  
people from Furinkan, her old friends Hiroshi and Daisuke,  
Akane's friends Sayuri and Yuka, and was that Gosunkugi as well?  
She wanted so much to say something to everyone, but the  
emotions of the moment silenced her.  
  
Tendo Soun walked up to her, and stated, "Ranko, I am eternally  
sorry about the circumstances that led to your leaving this  
place. I want you to know that you will always be welcome here,  
no matter what. Even when you get your rightful family name  
back, you will always be treated as a Tendo here." At which  
point, Soun gave Ranko a deep bow.  
  
Soon, a mob was surrounding Ranko.  
  
"Hey, buddy, welcome back!"  
  
"Ranchan, when you're up to it, there's an okonomiyaki with your  
name on it, literally, at 'Rankos.'"  
  
"Ranko, I speak for most of the girls at Furankin when I say we  
are so sorry about everything."  
  
"Hey, Ranko, get better, okay? I learned this new technique, and  
I'd like to try it out on you."  
  
"Kiddo, if you'd like some snapshots of your victorious return,  
I can let you have some, at a modest price, of course."  
  
Ranko couldn't keep it in anymore. "Thanks, everybody. This  
means so much to me. Where's Akane?"  
  
Everyone glanced at one another. Nodoka finally spoke up. "She's  
in the dojo, waiting for all of us. She has a surprise for you,  
Ranko."  
  
Ranko's eyes shot up. "A surprise? What is it?"  
  
Ranma chuckled. "If we told you, it wouldn't be a surprise now,  
would it?"  
  
Ranko was escorted to the dojo, and when she entered she nearly  
did a double take. Akane was sitting in the center of the dojo,  
wearing nothing but a large (for her) robe. Ranko noticed  
another robe sitting close by. In addition, Ranko noticed a  
couple of things covered by cloth sitting close to Akane. Akane  
looked at Ranko as she entered, and smiled.  
  
"Akane, what's going on?"  
  
Akane gave Ranko a mischievous look. "Remember how you told me  
about the no-win situation?"  
  
Ranko nodded.  
  
Akane grinned again. "I think I've found a way to beat the  
no-win situation. Please, sit down, and soon you'll understand."  
  
Ranko sat down at one end of the dojo, and found herself  
surrounded by her friends and family, leaving a space open to  
allow her to keep an eye on Akane.  
  
Akane grinned, and once again addressed Ranko. "Now, Ranko,  
watch carefully."  
  
Ranko watched as Akane removed the cloth from one of the items  
near her. A small pail was uncovered. Akane then reached into a  
pocket on her robe, and removed a small white packet, with what  
looked to Ranko like a Chinese character stenciled on it.  
  
Akane tore open the packet, and positioned it over the pail. She  
upturned the packet, and the contents, a white powder, emptied  
into the pail. Ranko watched as Akane then closed her eyes, and  
took a deep breath. She reached over and picked up the pail,  
dumping its contents, which appeared to be water to Ranko, on  
her.  
  
Ranko's eyes bulged at what she saw next. Akane began to...  
change. She seemed to get larger, the muscles of her body began  
to redefine themselves, her face became more angled, a little  
rougher, a little harder.  
  
No, not her face. His face. Akane was male now.  
  
"Wha... Akane, what's going on?"  
  
Akane turned towards Ranko, and smiled. He replied. "Instant  
Nanniichuan. I had Ukyo and Ryoga steal a packet from the  
Nekohanten."  
  
"But why?"  
  
Once again, Akane smiled. "I told you before. I would walk  
though fire for you. I love you, Ranko, as much as I love Ranma.  
I would do anything to make you a part of my life."  
  
Ranko shook her head. "But... it's just the instant stuff, I  
don't understand how that will solve anything."  
  
Once again Akane smiled. "Then I guess it's time for phase two."  
  
"Phase two?"  
  
Akane nodded, and reached into his robe once again. This time he  
took out two items. One, a match. The other, what looked like a  
scroll of some kind. Then Akane reached towards the second  
covered item sitting near him.  
  
As Akane uncovered this item, Ranko gasped. She stood up, and  
was about to run towards Akane to stop him, when the others  
stopped her. Trying to escape their grasps, Ranko yelled,  
"Akane, no! You don't have to do that! Please, don't do it!"  
  
Akane gave Ranko a look of pure love. "I want to do this, Ranko.  
I love you, and I don't want to leave you, to hurt you ever  
again. This way, we can be together." And as he said this, Akane  
struck the match, and lit the burner in front of him. As smoke  
began to rise from the burner, Akane opened the scroll, and  
began to chant the spell within.  
  
"Akane, no!!!! Don't do this, please!!!!"  
  
But Ranko's pleas were too late. The smoke from the burner began  
to envelop Akane, as if the smoke tendrils were alive. Soon,  
there was nothing to see except for the large plume of smoke  
that covered half of the dojo. The only proof of Akane's  
existence was the sound of his voice reciting the spell  
reverberating across the room. In time, that ended, and there  
was only silence.  
  
Ranko's friends and family released her, and she dropped down to  
her knees, crying. "Akane, you baka! What were you thinking?  
What were you thinking?" Slowly, Ranko heard a noise from the  
other side of the dojo. It was a cough. A female cough.  
  
Ranko watched in fascination as Akane walked out of the smoke.  
She was female again, and as she left the smoke, Ranma ran over  
to her, and grabbed her tight.  
  
"Akane, are you all right?"  
  
Akane nodded, and looked up at Ranma. "I'm fine. No, I'm better  
than fine."  
  
Ranko walked over to the two. "Akane, just what were you  
thinking? Do you realize just how dangerous that was?"  
  
Akane grinned, but didn't say a word. Ranko did hear a voice  
from behind her, this time a male voice.  
  
"Ranko?"  
  
Ranko turned, and gasped. Standing in front of her, also wearing  
a robe, was the male Akane. Ranko was speechless.  
  
"So, Ranko, what do you think of my solution to the no-win  
problem?"  
  
"I... I... I..."  
  
The male Akane walked over to Ranko, and grasped her tightly.  
Tears filled his eyes, and he told Ranko, "Ranko, Ranko, I'll  
never let you go, not ever do you hear me! I do love you, you  
know."  
  
Ranko began to chuckle.  
  
Akane looked down at his love. "What's so funny?"  
  
Ranko gave Akane a sly grin. "I know you love me. The proof,"  
Ranko then shot her eyes part way down, "is down there."  
  
Akane glanced down, and began to blush once he realized  
what Ranko was talking about.  
  
"Oops, sorry. I didn't..."  
  
Ranko laughed. "It's okay. It's just something that happens to  
guys. You'll get used to it."  
  
Akane blushed harder. "Get used to it? This is kinda  
embarrassing. How do you get used to it?"  
  
Ranko grinned. "Oh, you'll get used to it, just like I got used  
to certain... things about being a girl all of the time."  
  
Understanding dawned on Akane's face. "Oh, hey wait a minute.  
That means I don't have to worry about..."  
  
Ranko smiled. "Nope, you don't. Of course, there are certain  
things about being a guy you will have to learn. I'm sure Ranma  
will be glad to help you through those."  
  
Ranma grinned at this. "Of course, I'll be glad to make a man  
out of your Akane."  
  
The male Akane began to chuckle. "You know, Akane's not really  
an appropriate name for a guy, is it? And two Akanes can be just  
as confusing as..."  
  
Ranko finished the thought. "Two Ranmas?"  
  
Akane nodded. "Yeah, I wonder what name I should take."  
  
Daisuke mused, "Well, since this was a no-win scenario, why not  
Kobayashi Maru?"  
  
Part of the audience began to chuckle, the other half wondered  
what was so funny.  
  
Akane turned to his father and asked, "Daddy... Father, what do  
you think?"  
  
"Well, your mother and I always though Kaneda would be a good  
name, if we ever had a son."  
  
Akane smiled. "Kaneda, I like that. So be it. I am now Tendo  
Kaneda, son of Tendo Soun."  
  
Nabiki smiled at that. "Consider it done. I had most of the  
paperwork for our new 'brother' ready to go, all I needed was  
the name."  
  
Soun began to cry. "A son. I have a son. Waaaahhhh."  
  
"Father!" Both Akane and Kaneda responded in unison. "Hey, quit  
that!"  
  
Ranma and Ranko chuckled. "It's like deja vu," Ranma pointed  
out.  
  
"All over again," Ranko added.  
  
A low chuckle was heard from above them. They looked up and saw  
Cologne watching over them.  
  
The old Amazon dropped down to the floor, and addressed the  
group at large.  
  
"So this is why one packet of Instant Nanniichuan came up  
missing. You didn't think I'd notice, did you?"  
  
Everyone shook their heads.  
  
"So," Cologne asked, "just whose idea was this, anyway?"  
  
Once again, in unison, Akane and Kaneda replied. "It was my  
idea. Hey, stop doing that! You are freaking me out!"  
  
As Cologne began her chuckle anew, Ranko walked over to her.  
"Okay, now you know. What are you doing to do now?"  
  
Cologne sighed. "If this doesn't prove to Shampoo the strength  
of the love that you all share for one another, I don't know  
what will. However, if she remains stubborn, and continues her  
campaign on you, Ranko, I promise you one thing."  
  
"And what is that?"  
  
A smile crossed the old woman's face. "I promise you I will not  
interfere, on either side. And I will tell Shampoo just that. I  
hope to be able to convince Mousse to stay out of this as well,  
I think he's tired of the whole thing. Shampoo might think twice  
about coming after all of you by herself."  
  
Ranko bowed to the ancient Amazon. "I thank you for that,  
Great-Grandmother."  
  
The Amazon bowed in return. "I wish all of you the best that  
life can offer you. But somehow, I think with all of you  
together like this, no other outcome is possible."  
  
And with that, Cologne departed the Tendo Dojo.  
  
Ranma sighed. "You know, if she does end up leaving eventually,  
I'm going to miss that old ghoul."  
  
Ranko agreed, "Yeah, I know what you mean. She does kinda grow  
on ya."  
  
Kasumi spoke up. "I have food and drinks ready for everyone in  
the house, Let's all go in and celebrate."  
  
Kaneda looked down and Ranko and asked, "Shall we?"  
  
Ranko grinned, and looped her arm inside of Kaneda's. "Where you  
go, I will follow."  
  
*******************************************  
  
It was night, and after a long party, everyone who didn't live  
at the Tendo home had long left. Ranko and Kaneda were up on the  
roof, sitting close to each other, gazing at the stars.  
  
It had taken awhile, but Kaneda had found some male clothes that  
fit his new form. He knew he would have to go shopping, and  
soon.  
  
"So, Kaneda," Ranko wondered, "do you have any regrets over what  
you did?"  
  
"Ranko, that is the 12th time you've asked me that question!"  
  
Ranko chuckled. "Actually, it's the 14th. But who's counting?"  
  
Kaneda began to chuckle as well. "Well, the answer is the same  
the 14th time as it was the 1st. No regrets. Not now, not ever.  
I want to spend the rest of my life with you. If this is what it  
takes to do so, so be it. Akane and Ranma have each other,  
and so do we."  
  
Ranko grinned. "I think I understand now what Mom was trying to  
tell me once."  
  
Kaneda asked, "And what is that?"  
  
Ranko grinned. She then went in close to Kaneda, and gave him a  
passionate kiss. The two kissed, and held each other tightly for  
the longest time.  
  
Ranko broke off the kiss, and began to chuckle. Casting her eyes  
down, she stated. "You have to watch that, Kaneda. I'm not that  
kind of girl, you little pervert."  
  
Kaneda chuckled at that as well. "Well, if I'm the pervert, does  
that make you the tomboy?"  
  
"Darn right it does! If you expect me to be like Kasumi or Asuka  
you have another thing coming, mister. I may be a girl, but I'll  
define the type of girl I'm going to be. As long as I'm with  
you, being a girl, and everything that comes with it, won't  
bother me ever again."  
  
Kaneda smiled at that. "Ranko, there is something I have to ask  
you."  
  
Ranko's eyes shot up. "And what is that?"  
  
"I know your mother plans on adopting you, and making you a  
Saotome once again."  
  
Ranko nodded. As she did so, Kaneda reached into his pocket, and  
pulled out a small box.  
  
Handing the box to Ranko, he continued, "I hope in time, you  
will consent to taking the name of Tendo once more."  
  
Ranko opened the box, and her face showed the shock she felt  
without a doubt.  
  
"Do you like it?"  
  
Ranko smiled. "I really don't have the appreciation for this  
kind of thing, but it looks pretty nice to me."  
  
Kaneda reached over, and took the ring from its box. He then  
held it, ready to slip it on Ranko's finger. She smiled, and  
held her hand out to allow him to do so.  
  
"Trust me, this is a very nice ring. Nabiki helped me get it at  
a decent price. You know, if you were a real girl, you'd know  
just how nice of a ring it is."  
  
Ranko chuckled, and replied in a breathy tone. "Oh, I am a real  
girl. And one day I'll prove it to you, mister!"  
  
Kaneda's face turned beet red. "Hey, now who's the pervert?"  
  
"Just call me the perverted tomboy."  
  
The two began to laugh. In the middle of their merriment, they  
heard the sound of a throat being cleared behind them.  
  
They turned their heads, and found Ranma and Akane staring at  
them.  
  
"Hey, are you two going to be up here all night? Akane and I  
would like some private time to ourselves too, you know."  
  
Ranko and Kaneda grinned at each other, then simultaneously  
stuck their tongues out at their 'other selves.'  
  
Kaneda replied. "Just give us five more minutes, and it's all  
yours. Keep your pants on, will you, Ranma?"  
  
Ranma and Akane began to chuckle as well. "Okay, five more  
minutes," Ranma replied, "but if you try anything with my  
sister, you'll have to deal with me, buddy."  
  
Kaneda grinned. "Does this mean that now that I'm a guy, you'll  
spar with me, seriously?"  
  
Ranma grinned. "You bet. Just remember though, 'buddy', you  
asked for it. I won't go easy on you either, since Uncle Tendo  
now expects the four of us the run the dojo together."  
  
Once again, Kaneda stuck his tongue out at Ranma, who simply  
laughed, and with Akane, left Kaneda and Ranko alone on the  
roof.  
  
"So, Kaneda," Ranko wondered, "do you have any regrets over what  
you did?"  
  
Kaneda was about to lay into Ranko, when he noticed her  
laughing. He began to laugh as well, and the two held on to each  
other, tightly, as if they never wanted to ever let go.  
  
END  
  
  
Authors notes:  
  
This story was inspired by the fanfic "Misuteru : Forsaken"  
by Jason. It was a very sad little story, about a letter than  
Ranko leaves Kasumi after the split, when she can't take  
the hell her life has become because of it.  
  
While I like the occasional sad story, I'm much more of a  
happy ending type person myself, and I soon envisioned  
ways for this problem to be reticified happily for most of  
the characters involved.  
  
The story you have just read is one of those ideas that  
came to mind. I have another, which takes a totally different  
approach, that I may write some day. If anyone would like to  
see that, let me know.  
  
Acknowledgment to Jason for his fine story, as well  
as "Two Sides of The Coin" by Benares, which served  
as the inspiration for Jason, and indirectly myself. I  
encourage anyone who liked this story to check those  
two stories out, if you are unfamiliar with them.  
  
And if you didn't like this story, well, that's fine too.  
You can't please everyone, you know.  
  
JP Buckner  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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